Saturday, October 11, 2008

Unions throughout the United States have spoken, and unequivocally endorsed Obama.

But in October's International Musician, President Tom Lee says that our "International Executive Board has chosen to not make an endorsement for President this year" citing "surveys" showing that "union members do not wish to be told for whom to vote."

No American would answer "yes" to the question, "Do you wish to be told for whom to vote?" These "surveys" are a red herring presented by Tom Lee to justify the AFM's continuing policy of avoidance. Why are we refusing to show support and unity? No show of support for Obama, nor any other major candidate, and no show of support for the Writers Guild during its November 2007 strike, add up to a don't-get-involved AFM.

The realistic answer is that there are probably a few die-hard Republicans within Tom Lee's administration or on the IEB, who might remain in denial even in this most obvious of elections. However, the fact remains that the Democratic Party is the party that stands with unions and musicians on all the relevant issues. The Republicans are the party that brought you Mrs. Dick Cheney as the head of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Credit Sam Folio, who personally endorses Obama. But official silence from the AFM is a disservice to our members, and to unionism in general, which developed out of democratic principles, has been constantly threatened by Republicans for more than two decades, and which is supported by only one of the two candidates for President today: Barack Obama.